Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 16 July 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment

National Broadband Plan: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Joe O'ReillyJoe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would have thought there is a general view that he knows what he is talking about. He, among others, said that to achieve fairness, as policymakers we cannot make a decision. Coming from my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan, it would be negligent of me if I stood idly by – to use that awful cliché – while a less sound system of providing broadband to people in isolated areas was chosen. The view of Mr. Weckler and other technical experts – evidence was cited earlier – is that only through the fibre option can one be sure beyond doubt that fairness and evenness are created. I refer to the man at the back of the hill, a phrase I grew up with, in other words, the people who live in isolated rural areas. Fairness should be applied to them and their rights should be taken into account. Why should they be put into a two-tier system on a wing and a prayer and using less secure technology when the view is that the fibre optic solution is needed? It is the best solution. I am not saying that other solutions do not work, to a degree, and the witnesses are a crucial part of the market, but what we are talking about is whether there is a viable, workable alterative to the national broadband plan. That is basis of the terms of reference of the committee. Bearing that in mind, one must assume that we cannot have apples and oranges and that the solution must be all apples or all oranges, in other words, that the person in an isolated area such as Ballydehob must have the same access to broadband and the same level of technology as the person in south Dublin. As policymakers, we cannot make an alternative decision that would put people in rural areas on a different footing. We would be negligent if we were to do so.

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